This cruel budget offers nothing for families like mine

I am a single parent working in the NHS as a therapy assistant. I work part-time at the moment. As a survivor of domestic violence, I need to be there to support my 11 year old son. I’ve worked full-time in the past but currently work 22.5 hours a week. That means I combine the work I do as a parent with the work I do for the health service.

I am shocked after today’s budget announcement and am still trying to understand what it means for people like me. No more support certainly. Efforts to push me to take more work or risk benefit cuts. Possibly.

I get very minimal support from Universal Credit. I’m scared that this budget is going to make me suffer more. I’m simply not not able to get hold of my finances during this cost of living crisis. It feels like the talk and fear of the energy bills are constantly in my head. And now this cruel budget. Offering nothing for families like mine.

Why do we have to suffer? And continue to weather the cost of living storm alone?

The hardship families like mine face are pushing people deeper, and harming people’s mental health. If the government continues to refuse to provide support for families on a low-income, they will need to find more money to support mental health services.

I can only just about manage the hours of work I do now. How can I be expected to find more work and manage? And what about the child care costs?

It feels to me that today’s budget is simply about supporting rich people to become richer. The government is made up of rich people, and they support themselves and those like them. And those only.

They are not in our shoes. Not living with poverty and hardship every day. For people like us, this government has only ideas and tips for how to manage our budgets. Budgets that are already stretched beyond breaking.

Now we hear that the social security system will push people like me further to work more house. Threatening to sanctions our benefits which are already only so many handful of peanuts. What next ?

Are you asking us to leave the country ?

The harm this poverty does affects our present and our future. And that of our children. Why must we suffer?

My son recently started secondary school. The cost of this is so high. His uniform and books. Costs that I can’t afford. But who to ask for support. And why must I always have to ask for support? Why all the time begging for support? Why?